By John Sweeney
As you may have noticed, we have been travelling about in Australia for some time now. Such a thing is not meant to last, for there are many things in Australia that could kill a person. Luckily though, that didn’t happen – Andy’s no. 1 rule for the trip was “nobody die.” Our travels are coming to an end, and soon we will all be back home safe and already tan for another summer.
Since you last heard from us, we have done VERY little. We spent a few days at a small eco-lodge in the Glasshouse Mountains, just outside of Brisbane. It was a really nice place for a quick, relaxing get-away (as if our lives weren’t easy enough), and I think I speak for everyone when I say that all of us really enjoyed our time there.
Unfortunately, we had one last exam to take. Saturday night (our first night there), and Sunday morning was spent somewhere in between studying and enjoying the much-anticipated peace and quiet of the eco-lodge. Sunday afternoon, at precisely 1:07, we began our Natural History of Australia exam on our terrestrial studies. This meant that we had to bring together information that we have learnt over the whole trip and connect it; we learnt about rainforests and Eucalypt forests, as well as about Australian geology, geography, climate, and biodiversity (I am surely forgetting much, much more). After the test was complete, we considered ourselves very much done with the semester; later that afternoon, Andy and Philip invited all of us to their eco-lodge villa for the whole group to celebrate the end. Suffice it to say, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Because it was raining almost the whole time, most of us stayed within the comfort of our (very) cozy rooms and covered porches throughout our stay at the eco-lodge. Most of my Monday afternoon was spent playing an older version of Australian Trivial Pursuit. Considering both that the game was older than all of us, and that it was Australian Trivial Pursuit, it was very difficult, but it was definitely rewarding to be able to answer some questions using what we have learnt over the course of the last few months.
Before getting on the bus to head back to Brisbane, a few of us were talking about the program being over. I think it’s safe to say that most of us are excited and very ready for home, but I’m getting the impression that many of us are in denial that the program is actually about to end. We have had everything in our lives planned for us, we have gotten to see so many things and meet so many people that I know I will never forget, and we have learnt so much in these last few months that it’s a little hard to imagine leaving. Well, it’s actually very easy, as I’m imagining leaving right now. This trip has been the experience of a lifetime and I cannot wait to share my experiences with my family and friends back home.
Finally, I’d like to personally (and probably on behalf of all of us students) thank: Andy – for leading this trip and ensuring that we all got as much out of this program as possible both educationally and experientially, not just one or the other. Philip – for supporting both Andy and us students, as well as always keeping a good attitude for the whole trip – it most definitely would not have been the same without you. And last but certainly not least, Nat – for seeing to it that every aspect of the trip went smoothly and comfortably, for making sure that we were properly fed, for occasionally keeping us in line, for putting up with our sometimes unwarranted complaints and rowdiness, for generally being awesome, and for doing everything while also being pregnant. Thanks also to all the students for making the trip absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to hang out with everyone back in the states.
Maybe if I don’t end this blog entry, this program won’t end either? Now I’m just dreaming…
See ya later,
John
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